[connieflyer]

Good morning Loriwiv, I found a quad of the 88 sounded quite good in my eforia amplifier, but when I went with the GL kt77 was even better, both using the Sennheiser 800 and the he560, but especially nice running it as a preamp to my Anthem MRX 720 receiver in the main system. After you get those broken in you have a few dollars extra try the 77s as drivers looks real nice and sounds real nice!

 

[LoryWiv]

Good morning Loriwiv, I found a quad of the 88 sounded quite good in my eforia amplifier, but when I went with the GL kt77 was even better, both using the Sennheiser 800 and the he560, but especially nice running it as a preamp to my Anthem MRX 720 receiver in the main system. After you get those broken in you have a few dollars extra try the 77s as drivers looks real nice and sounds real nice!

Thanks @connieflyer, and yes the KT77 look very complimentary driving their big brothers. I'll definitely keep that combination on my radar!

 

[hypnos1]

Right then guys...a week of the dual GEC TT21/GU50 power combo per channel, driven by 2x GU50s, has highlighted perfectly the merry-go-round that is rolling tubes from a similar family - and others that perform at a high level, once a certain standard is reached in the rest of one's system...ie. they generally do in fact only bring different 'flavours'/characters and perceived variations due mainly to the differences in emphasis of certain sections of the frequency range, along with the effects of distortion ('color') - total and intermodulation - depending upon degree.

But major differences in performance then require other factors to come into play, and which usually mean massive upgrades to some or all of the rest of one's system, and/or another amp entirely lol! However, such a leap has now come from the aforementioned dualled power tube combo...much more so than from just one tube to another, and has me realising that the progression of tubes I have been fortunate enough to discover until now has, in fact, been only minor in comparison. And this is a realisation that is hitting me harder than I ever imagined...truly a double-edged sword! But reality has a nasty habit of doing this alas .

And so to repeat, it is now as if I'm listening to a totally different amp, not just one with a few improvements/changes here and there. I shall, therefore, most certainly not be looking to try different tubes any more, simply to achieve further minor changes...I have finally learned my lesson lol! Mind you, the journey has at least had the benefit of providing a larger selection of tubes from which to choose according to personal taste, even if not actually better!!...which is no bad thing....

Finally, although original tubes undoubtedly give superior performance, I'm quite sure that dualling a reissue KT88 (or one's preferred KT) with a GU50 per power channel will bring similar leaps in performance...and at a fraction of the cost of a high-end amp. And if I remember rightly xulingmrs have in fact already made a dual 6SN7/6AS7G adapter, into which both tubes could of course be put, using their own respective adapters. When they get back on line after their New Year hols I shall check the sockets' spacing to make sure those big boy 88s will fit next to a GU50!!...CHEERS!...CJ

 

[connieflyer]

Hello CJ, if I remember right when I had the Elise I used four el3n's in the adapters in the power and two EL3N as drivers and they fit fine and I don't think the KT 88 are much bigger than then an el3n. When I sold the Elise I sold a bunch of tubes with it , I know my bad, and also a pair of adapters so I can't try the two adapters but I would assume the dimensions on the Elise and the Eforia would be similar. I'd have to check but I think I still have one dual adapter.

 

[connieflyer]

This was my Elise with six EL3N tubes, plenty of room.

 

[OctavianH]

Hello CJ, if I remember right when I had the Elise I used four el3n's in the adapters in the power and two EL3N as drivers and they fit fine and I don't think the KT 88 are much bigger than then an el3n. When I sold the Elise I sold a bunch of tubes with it , I know my bad, and also a pair of adapters so I can't try the two adapters but I would assume the dimensions on the Elise and the Eforia would be similar. I'd have to check but I think I still have one dual adapter.

Here is a picture of an EL3N near KT88:

I found also a double EL3N to 6AS7 adapter and put 2 x KT88 near it:

 

[hypnos1]

This was my Elise with six EL3N tubes, plenty of room.

Here is a picture of an EL3N near KT88:

I found also a double EL3N to 6AS7 adapter and put 2 x KT88 near it:

Thanks guys. From my own workings cf, it will look much better to have 2 separate adapters with swivel function rather than that straight foursome for EL3Ns lol ...(pretty horrid IMHO!! ). A shame we can't expect anyone to make the shape a bit more interesting though.... But then, believe me, the price would have to be much higher alas! (I'm hoping they did in fact have a double adapter with simply 2x 6SN7/6AS7G sockets, which would be the only practical/viable way of housing a GU50 and KT tube, each in its own adapter...). So we wait and see...but not too long, hopefully!!

 

[connieflyer]

CJ, before tube adapter was actually two separate two tube adapters, not a single 4 Tube adapter.

 

[hypnos1]

CJ, before tube adapter was actually two separate two tube adapters, not a single 4 Tube adapter. The idea of making them swivel is great replacement but my compromise signal contact wires. Had that happen with a tube adapter a couple of years ago

Hmmm again cf...shall also have to check if such a problem has been rectified...I do hope so lol!... CHEERS!

 

[connieflyer]

No problem CJ. As I remember the adapter that I was using that had the contact problem was an older style that used wires to connect the socket to the pin and it had a screw in the bottom that you could loosen and turn the socket just a small amount so that it would actually swivel for a little bit more distance between adapters. But doing that you had to be very careful not to put any pressure on the solder joint on the wires inside. I remember the one loosen the connection but did not break it causing it to be intermittent

 

[connieflyer]

The adapters that I used on the Elise for theEl3n dual power tubes worked quite well and you can see from my photo there was plenty of spacing

 

[Johnnysound]

Good morning Loriwiv, I found a quad of the 88 sounded quite good in my eforia amplifier, but when I went with the GL kt77 was even better, both using the Sennheiser 800 and the he560, but especially nice running it as a preamp to my Anthem MRX 720 receiver in the main system. After you get those broken in you have a few dollars extra try the 77s as drivers looks real nice and sounds real nice!

Absolutely, CF: KT77s/KT88s is one of the best combos I have heard in Euforia: punchy, revealing, great bass/synergy with the 88s. The OTHER combo that impresses me the most is this one:



With Philips/Valvo/Siemens EL11 (same tube), the ones made by Loewe Opta factory, Berlin. Later production ( I understand up to late sixties or so). Easily identifiable by the three letter code at the bottom (factory code mx... ) I found these NOS tubes probably the best sounding of the EL11 family: deadly quiet, open, airy, transparent, spacious, extended, yet with a refined, subtly “classic” touch that blends perfectly, and certainly improves the “modern” sound of the KT88s. Perhaps not as sharp or punchy as with the KT77s., but this combo bass is one of the most accurate, precisely defined. A real joy (musically speaking) that is staying there...for the time being. I have too many EL11s, if not, I would seriously consider getting another back up pair...

 

[connieflyer]

I will have to try them. I have the Valvo and a pair of mesh plate .

 

[connieflyer]

Taking Johnnysound's advice and trying the Valvo, date code MX1 as drivers, they are different and sound great. bass does seem to be a little more pronounced , but seems to have a slight edge to the treble and bass is just a tiny bit boomy, resolution is good though. Seems a little bit stronger(?) overall. Going to finish off some more coffee and switch to the mesh plates and see what those bring to the table. Nice to have so many tubes to try without having to buy more! Finally a reason to have a large stash! These Valvo EL11 I bought as NOS last year, and only used them about fifty hours, before the tube of the day came out and I switched to a new driver, so never really had that much time with them. They now have about two hundred hours on them and have matured.

 

[connieflyer]

Okay Johnnysound, the El 11's did add a new flavor to the amp, quite like it. Using the Mesh plate El11 now, and these smooth out all of the slight misgivings I had with the stock Valvo EL11's. Bass is solid and and treble is extended. Bass is hard hitting and clear. Mid's with orchestrations are to die for. I got these from CJ awhile back and and used them until, you guessed it the flavor of the day. I have to try these out as pre amp outputs, and see how they do. Going to stay here for awhile to be sure. Wow.